When I discover a new word (something I have never come across before) I am delighted.
This is one I have seen occasionally, but which I have never bothered to look up in the past.
Do you sometimes do that?
Come across an unfamiliar word, but even though you don’t know what it means you can work out what the sentence (or paragraph) means so you just read on, and ignore the strange word?
I’m sure you’ve sometimes done that—we all do.
But I decided that this time I would look up ‘autochthonous’ and properly learn the word.
This time I came across it in a review of a new collection of the poems of Seamus Heaney (1939-2013).
By the way ‘autochthonous’ is pronounced aw-TOCK-thuhn-uhss (not easy to wrap your tongue around, but it can be done).
What does it mean, I asked myself?
Is it an unpleasant skin disease?
Of course not (I was just being stilly when I thought of that).
What the word actually means is ‘a person indigenous to a particular country.’
So, in the context of the review, the point was that Seamus Heaney was always deeply Irish.
So why not say that?
Why not just say that his poetry is very Irish?
Because the reviewer (Michael Hoffman—let’s name the guilty party) was busy parading the enormous size of his vocabulary.
Mind you (just to confuse things) ‘autochthonous’ can have other applications.
It can also refer to micro-organisms or rock formations—but always (as far as I make out) in terms of being ‘indigenous’ to somewhere.
So, there you are—now you have a sparkling new word to add to your already enormous vocab.
(At which point you respond: ‘Kel, I’m way ahead of you—I already knew this word. So there!’)
And if you are now interested in the poetry of Seamus Heaney, google his poem ‘Digging’ (which is about him thinking about his father as he sits at his desk writing).
It really is great poetry!
The latest issue of The Spectator Australia is in newsagents now -- with the cartoon about bombs falling on Iran on the front cover, and my 'Language' column in the back.
My latest column has appeared on the Sky News Online website -- here's the link: Real purpose of pro-Palestine activists flooding streets of Australian cities has morphed from ‘end the war in Gaza’ into something far more destructive | Sky News Australia
The latest issue of Australian Geographic is now at newsagents -- with a big beaked kookaburra on the front cover, and inside my two small columns on 'Ozwords' ad 'Placenames.'
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BOOKS:
* My latest book is Sherlock Holmes: 5-Minute Mysteries -- containing 50 new stories I have written about the great detective. You can find it on Amazon. Just go to Amazon and type in Sherlock Holmes: 5-Minute Mysteries in the search panel. Or use this link: h Amazon.com.au : Sherlock Holmes 5-Minute Mysteries Kel Richards
* My book "Defending the Gospel" is now in a second, fully revised, edition. You can find it here: Defending the Gospel – matthiasmedia.com.au
* If you're looking for my recent book "Flash Jim" you'll find it here -- Flash Jim, The astonis
hing story of the convict fraudster who wrote Australia's first dictionary by Kel Richards | 9781460759769 | Booktopia
* You can find all Kel's books currently in print here -- Booktopia Search Results for 'kel richards'. We sell books, hardback, paperback, audio, CDs.
* And also here -- Amazon.com.au : Kel Richards
* And you'll find more here -- Search: 4 results found for "Kel Richards" – matthiasmedia.com.au
* Many of Kel's out of print books can be found at ABE Books -- Kel Richards - AbeBooks explaining words explain the term
BY THE WAY...
If you'd like to see my A-Z list of Aussie slang, you'll find it here in the Australian Geographic website -- A-Z list of Aussie slang. Here’s the link: The A-Z of Aussie slang - Australian Geographic
The liveliest part of this website is usually the Q and A page -- be sure to check it out from time to time.
